The Toronto 2014 Staff Recommended Budget was launched this week – and for Child Care it was very disappointing!

In spite of the clear evidence that our child care system is stretched to the breaking point . . this Staff Recommended Budget proposes the same painful path!

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY!

Remember this is only the Staff Recommended Budget.

Toronto City Council, includes many supporters of Child Care

And COUNCIL can make changes to this budget

The Good News in this (Staff Recommended) Budget:

There are NO CUTS to the overall child care envelope – programs should be able to expect their approved rates

There is some limited capital funding (enough to build 6 new centres by 2016)

BUT . . . The Bad News in this (Staff Recommended) Budget:

There is again a ZERO increase in the City’s contribution to Operating $$ for Child Care. Indeed. . . a recommendation from the CDRC in October to add another 528 child care fee subsidies, has not been supported by staff.

Toronto received a significant increase in PROVINCIAL Child Care Funding (2012/2016) that the child care community successfully lobbied the PROVINCE for (in 2012) But the $$$s continue to be flowed into Reserves! . . . even as Wage subsidies are clawed back from programs!. . . and child care spaces sit vacant for lack of subsidies!

All of this is Driving Parent Fees UP . . . and Staff Salaries DOWN!

BUT – IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY!

STAND UP AND BE HEARD

DEPUTATIONS - to Budget Committee on the Staff Recommended Budget 2014 will be heard on Monday December 2 & Tuesday December 3. Councillors will hear deputations from Torontonians on the entire budget. We will make sure they hear about child care:

The Budget process will continue through December and January. All of our Councillors will attempt to influence the Budget and ALL OF OUR COUNCILLORS will be influenced by their constituents!

DEPUTATIONS – to Community Development and Recreation Committee (CDRC) will be heard on Wednesday December 4 . We will have already highlighted for Councillors (in the previous days) the enormous stress that child care is under: sky rocketing Parent Fees, keeping ECE’s in the field, lack of subsidies – and the opportunities that exist in this budget – NOW at CDRC we will have another opportunity to emphasise that message – we expect that deputations to protect WAGE SUBSIDY will be very important at this meeting.